Place the arugula in a blender jar and add the oil, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the pepper and puree until the mixture looks like thick pesto. There will be a small amount of oil on the surface. Use immediately or transfer the mixture to a jar with a tight fitting lid if you are going to store it. This will keep for at least 5 days, refrigerated. Before using, stir the pesto to incorporate the oil accumulated at the top. Serve the pesto over some freshly cooked pasta or boiled potatoes.

Pasta with Arugula and Goat Cheese Sauce

from A Complete Menu Cookbook for All Occasions by Brother Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourrette 4 servings

1. Before preparing sauce, fill a large casserole with water, and bring the water to a boil.

2 Wash and clean well the arugula and parsley. Dry thoroughly. Trim and chop both the arugula and the parsley.

3. Place the arugula and the parsley in a food processor. Add the yogurt or sour cream, goat cheese, salt, and pepper. Blend the ingredients thoroughly. Keep the sauce at room temperature until ready to use.

4. Add a pinch of salt to the boiling water, and cook the fusilli noodles following the instructions on the package. When the noodles are cooked, drain them, and place them in four serving dishes. Pour the sauce evenly over the top of each serving and add some cheese to each dish. Serve immediately.

Basil- This aromatic herb is native to India, SE Asia, and NE Africa and is an important herb used in Italian and Thai cooking (and less significantly in other cuisines).

2 tablespoons softened (room temperature) unsalted butter1 tablespoon softened butter (for serving with the pasta)In a blender or food processor, place all the ingredients except the cheese and the butter. Blend to a smooth puree (don't overblend). Transfer to a bowl, and the Parmesan and beat the cheese in using a wooden spoon. Add the butter and beat the mixture until it is smooth. Cover and set aside. At this point you can refrigerate the pesto and it will keep, refrigerated for at least a week.

More-Vegetable-Than-Egg Frittata

By MARK BITTMAN

2 tablespoons olive oil or butter

1/2 onion, sliced (optional)

Salt and ground black pepper

4 to 6 cups of any chopped or sliced raw or barely cooked vegetables

1/4 cup fresh basil or parsley leaves, or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon or mint leaves, or any other herb

2 or 3 eggs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional).

1. Put olive oil or butter in a skillet (preferably nonstick or well-seasoned cast iron) and turn heat to medium. When fat is hot, add onion, if using, and cook, sprinkling with salt and pepper, until it is soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add vegetables, raise heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften, from a couple of minutes for greens to 15 minutes for sliced potatoes. Adjust heat so vegetables brown a little without scorching. (With precooked vegetables, just add them to onions and stir before proceeding.)

2. When vegetables are nearly done, turn heat to low and add herb. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender.

3. Meanwhile, beat eggs with some salt and pepper, along with cheese if you are using it. Pour over vegetables, distributing them evenly. Cook, undisturbed, until eggs are barely set, 10 minutes or so; run pan under broiler for a minute or 2 if top does not set. Cut into wedges and serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

Yield: 2 or 4 servings.

Green Beans- Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin K and manganese. Plus green beans are very good source of vitamin A (notably through their concentration of carotenoids including beta-carotene), dietary fiber, potassium, folate, and iron.

Arrange the lettuce leaves on a large platter or in a shallow bowl. Shortly before serving, toss the beans with the shallots, spoonfuls of vinaigrette, and salt and pepper. Baste the tomatoes with a spoonful of vinaigrette. Place the potatoes in the center of the platter and arrange a mound of beans at either end, with tomatoes and small mounds of tuna at strategic intervals. Ring the platter with halves of hard-boiled eggs, sunny side up, and curl an anchovy on top of each. Spoon more vinaigrette over all; scatter on olives, capers, and parsley, and serve.

Beets-Are colorful root vegetables containing powerful nutrient compounds that help protect against heart disease, birth defects and certain cancers, especially colon cancer. The greens attached to the beet roots are delicious and can be prepared like spinach or Swiss chard. They are incredibly rich in nutrients, concentrated in vitamins and minerals as well as carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lutein/zeaxanthin.

1. Peel and cut the onions, carrots, and beets (alternatively, shred the carrots and beets using the shredding blade of a food processor) and sauté over medium heat in the olive oil with a pinch of salt in a large soup pot. Reserve a small amount of beet to grate and add near the end to enliven the color.

2. In the meantime, bring the vegetable stock to a boil. When the vegetables are soft (about 5 minutes), add the shredded cabbage and the hot stock. Bring to a boil and simmer 15-25 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. With a few minutes left, add the reserved grated beet.

3. Season to taste with salt and pepper, then squeeze in the lemon juice, aiming for a pleasing but subtle sour taste. Serve with freshly grated black pepper, a dollop of sour cream, and chopped parsley, if desired.

Risotto With Beet Greens and Roasted Beets

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

This rich-tasting risotto is decidedly pink (maybe it will be the key to getting your picky daughter to eat vegetables!). Use a full-bodied vegetable stock if you are vegetarian; otherwise use a well seasoned chicken or turkey stock.

3/4 pound beets (1 bunch small), roasted

1 bunch beet greens, stemmed and washed

6 to 7 cups chicken or vegetable stock, as needed

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1 1/2 cups Arborio or Carnarolli rice

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

1/2 cup red, rose, or dry white wine

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

1 to 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 to 1/2 cup, to taste)

2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Bring the stock to a simmer in a saucepan. Season well and turn the heat to low. Stack the stemmed, washed greens and cut crosswise into 1-inch wide strips.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a large nonstick frying pan or wide, heavy saucepan and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the onion begins to soften, about 3 minutes, and add the rice and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the grains of rice are separate and beginning to crackle, about 3 minutes.

3. Stir in the wine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly. The wine should bubble, but not too quickly. You want some of the flavor to cook into the rice before it evaporates. When the wine has just about evaporated, stir in a ladleful or two of the simmering stock (about 1/2 cup), enough to just cover the rice. The stock should bubble slowly (adjust heat accordingly). Cook, stirring often, until it is just about absorbed. Add another ladleful or two of the stock and continue to cook in this fashion, not too fast and not too slowly, stirring often and adding more stock when the rice is almost dry, for 10 minutes.

4. Stir in the greens and the diced beets, and continue adding more stock, enough to barely cover the rice, and stirring often, for another 10 to 15 minutes. Taste a bit of the rice. Is it cooked through? It should taste chewy but not hard in the middle. Definitely not soft like steamed rice. If it is still hard in the middle, you need to continue adding stock and stirring for another 5 minutes or so. Now is the time to ascertain if there is enough salt. Add if necessary.

5. When the rice is cooked through, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper, and stir in another half cup of stock, the Parmesan and the parsley. Remove from the heat. The rice should be creamy; if it isn’t, add a little more stock. Stir once, taste and adjust seasonings, and serve.

Variation: I often blanch greens when I get them home from the market so that they won’t wilt or rot in the refrigerator if I don’t get around to cooking them right away. If you do this, and want to use them for this risotto, chop the blanched greens and set aside. Add them to the risotto during the last few minutes of cooking, just to heat them through and amalgamate into the dish.

Advance preparation: The roasted beets will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator. You can get ahead on the risotto, cooking it just through Step 3, then spreading the rice out in the pan or on a baking sheet. Reheat and proceed with Step 4 shortly before serving.

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Wash beets well. While still wet, wrap them individually in foil and place on a cookie sheet or roasting pan. Bake beets, undisturbed, for 60 to 90 minutes, until a thin-bladed knife pierces each with little resistance. (They may cook at different rates; remove each one when it is done.)2. Meanwhile, put oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. When it is warm, add garlic and cook until fragrant and beginning to soften, about 6 minutes. Add walnuts and continue to cook until they begin to color, about another 4 minutes. Let mixture cool slightly and then put it in a small food processor; process until you have a relatively smooth paste. Add orange juice to taste and sprinkle with salt and lots of pepper.3. After beets have cooled, peel off skins. Slice beets into wedges or cubes and toss with dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning, garnish with parsley and serve.Yield: 4 servings.

Raw Beet Salad

Makes: 4 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Beets, like carrots, can be eaten raw. And they’re delicious that way, crunchy and sweet. So sweet, in fact, that they need a strongly acidic dressing like this one for balance. Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

1 to 11/2 pounds beets, preferably small

2 large shallots

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard, or to taste

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons sherry or other good strong vinegar

1 sprig fresh tarragon, minced, if available

1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

1. Peel the beets and shallots. Combine them in a food processor and pulse carefully until the beets are shredded; do not purée. (Or grate the beets by hand and mince the shallots, then combine.) Scrape into a bowl.

2. Toss with the salt, pepper, mustard, oil and vinegar. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Toss in the herbs and serve.

Raw Beet Salad with Cabbage and Orange. Quite nice-looking: Use equal parts beet and cabbage, about 8 ounces of each. Shred the beets (with the shallot) as directed; shred the cabbage by hand or by using the slicing disk of the food processor. Add 1 navel orange (including its juice), peeled and roughly chopped.

Raw Beet Salad with Carrot and Ginger. Ginger and beets are killer together: Use equal parts beet and carrot, about 8 ounces of each. Treat the carrots as you do the beets (you can process them together), adding about a tablespoon of minced peeled ginger to the mix; omit the tarragon. Substitute peanut for olive oil, lime juice for sherry vinegar, and cilantro for parsley.

Raw Beet Salad with Yogurt Dressing. Creamy: Replace the olive oil and one of the tablespoons of vinegar with 2 tablespoons plain yogurt, preferably whole-milk or low-fat.﻿

Broccoli- One of the most healthful and common vegetables in the U.S. Broccoli is a close relative of the cauliflower and grows wild in the Mediterranean. The history of this vegetable only dates back to the 1920's in the U.S. A very versatile vegetable that can be steamed, pureed, stir fried or simply eaten raw.

In a stockpot, cook the orecchiette in plenty of salted boiling water until tender but firm. Drain, run under cold water, and drain well again.

Have ready 2 medium sauté pans. Heat ¼ cup of oil in each until smoking. Add the cooked orecchiette carefully to the hot oil, dividing it equally. Spread the pasta out in even layers and cook for about 3 minutes, or until medium brown on the underside. Turn the pasta over and cook, without stirring, until browned on the other side. Transfer the pasta and oil to a large bowl and keep warm.

Heat the remaining ¼ cup of oil in one pan until hot. Add the garlic and broccoli, and sauté, tossing, for 5 minutes. Add the wine, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Taste, adjust the seasonings if necessary, and cook for 3 minutes. Transfer to a large flameproof baking dish.

Add the browned orecchiette, balsamic vinegar, butter and pine nuts to the baking dish and toss over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add ½ cup of the cheese and toss to combine.

Serve the pasta in 6 heated bowls or plates, with a generous grinding of fresh black pepper on top and the remaining cheese on the side.

Pasta With Broccoli and ChickpeasBy MARTHA ROSE SHULMANBroccoli is an affordable vegetable, packed with nutrients and available in most supermarkets. To save on pasta, buy big bags of it at package stores. The Parmesan, the priciest part of the recipe, is optional.1 pound broccoli, broken into florets, the stems peeled and cut in small diceSalt2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2 garlic cloves, minced1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed3/4 pound fusilli, bow-ties or orecchiette1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan (optional)1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Meanwhile, prepare the broccoli, and separate the stems and the florets. When the water comes to a boil, salt generously and add the broccoli stems. Boil for five minutes and then remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Add the florets, and boil for three minutes. Transfer to the ice water, drain and chop medium-fine, so that some of the florets are falling apart. Return the pot to the heat.2. Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a wide, heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes (if using), and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the broccoli florets and the stems, season with salt and cook, stirring, until nicely seasoned and coated with the oil, just a minute or two. Add the chickpeas, and stir everything together.3. Bring the pot of water back to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook al dente, following timing instructions on the package but checking to see if the pasta is done about a minute before the stated time. Add 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water to the pan with the broccoli. Drain the pasta, and toss at once with the broccoli mixture and another tablespoon of olive oil. If desired, sprinkle on the Parmesan. Serve at once.Note: If you can’t find chickpeas, substitute another type of bean, like white beans, kidney beans or red beans. If you can’t find fresh broccoli, substitute frozen.Yield: Four generous servings.

Brussels Sprouts- A member of the crucifer family (cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kale) Brussels sprouts look like little miniature cabbages. The little round vegetables grow along a long tall stem.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Garlic

Mark Bittman

I cannot remember when I intentionally began to almost-burn Brussels sprouts by roasting them until they were really, really dark. But cooked this way, the crisp outside leaves and tender, almost artichoke-like interior cannot be beat.

1 pint brussels sprouts (about a pound)

4 to 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, to coat bottom of pan

5 cloves garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Trim bottom of brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom. Heat oil in cast-iron pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers; put sprouts cut side down in one layer in pan. Put in garlic, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Cook, undisturbed, until sprouts begin to brown on bottom, and transfer to oven. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until sprouts are quite brown and tender, about 1/2 hour.

3. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if necessary. Stir in balsamic vinegar, and serve hot or warm.

Cabbage- Cabbage is a hardy vegetable that grows especially well in fertile soils. There are various shades of green available, as well as red or purple types. Head shape varies from the standard round to flattened or pointed. Most varieties have smooth leaves, but the Savoy types have crinkly textured leaves.

Cabbage SaladMark Bittman

1 small head white cabbage, about 1 pound, cored and shredded (You can use just one kind of cabbage...)

1/2 small head red cabbage, about

1/2 pound cored and shredded

1 or 2 carrots, peeled, trimmed and shredded

Salt as needed

Extra virgin olive oil to tast

Vinegar or lemon juice to taste

Black pepper to taste

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, optional

1. In a colander, combine cabbages and carrots. Toss with at least 1 tablespoon salt, enough so that leaves exude moisture within 10 or 15 minutes. If they do not, add a little more salt. Let sit an hour or two, pressing out moisture out with your hands once or twice.

2. Taste, and if mixture is too salty, rinse and dry. Toss with oil, vinegar or lemon juice, and pepper; you may even need a little salt. Serve, garnished with parsley if you like.

Crush noodles slightly and place in a colander. Pour boiling water over noodles to soften slightly. Drain well. In a large mixing bowl combine noodles, cabbage, green onions and sesame seeds.

Dressing: In a screw top jar combine chicken favored seasoning packet from noodles, vinegar, sugar, oil, pepper and salt; shake to mix well. Pour over cabbage mixture and toss. Cover and chill several hours or overnight. Before serving, stir in the almonds.

Bean and Cabbage SoupA thick, simple soup for a chilly afternoon, this dish is easy to make and tastes even better a day later. The Parmesan, which can be pricy, is optional — the soup will be great without it.1 heaped cup red or white beans (1/2 pound), rinsed and picked over2 quarts water2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 onion, chopped2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced1 stalk celery, chopped1 carrot, chopped1/2 head cabbage (about 1 1/4 pounds), cored and shredded1 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenneA bouquet garni made with a few sprigs each parsley and thyme, a bay leaf, and a Parmesan rindSalt to tasteFreshly grated Parmesan for serving (optional)1. Combine the beans and water in a large saucepan or pot. Discard any of the beans that float. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer one hour. Season to taste with salt.2. In a large, heavy soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, and add the onions, celery and carrot. Cook, stirring, until tender, five to eight minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for 30 seconds to a minute until fragrant, and add the cabbage and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes until the cabbage has wilted. Stir in the tomatoes, salt to taste and the red pepper flakes or cayenne, and continue to cook, stirring, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture smells fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the beans and their liquid. If the vegetables aren’t covered with liquid, add more so that they’re just covered. Add the bouquet garni, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to an hour. The beans should be soft. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve, passing Parmesan if desired to sprinkle on.Yield: Serves six.

Braised Cabbage

Adapted from Floyd Cardoz

Time: 30 minutes

1 1/2 pounds savoy cabbage

1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon canola oil

2 whole cloves

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

20 curry leaves

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot

2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic

2 tablespoons peeled, julienned fresh ginger

1/2 tablespoon ground turmeric

1 to 2 tablespoons finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper

1 cup chopped fresh or canned tomato

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

Kosher salt.

1. Cut cabbage into 6 to 8 wedges, with the widest part no more than 2 inches, leaving the core intact so the wedges stay together while cooking. Place a heavy skillet, large enough to hold wedges fairly snugly, over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup oil and heat until it shimmers. Add the cabbage, and cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate, and set aside.

3. Increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil. Add cabbage, fitting it tightly together in the bottom of the pot. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and braise cabbage until tender, about 10 minutes, turning it once halfway through cooking. Remove and discard cloves, curry leaves and bay leaf. If desired, serve with rice.

Yield: 3 servings.

Cauliflower- is one of several vegetables in the species Brassica oleracea, in the family Brassicaceae. It is an annual plant that reproduces by seed. Typically, only the head (the white curd) of aborted floral meristems is eaten, while the stalk and surrounding thick, green leaves are used in vegetable broth or discarded. Cauliflower is nutritious, and may be eaten cooked, raw or pickled.

Pasta With Cauliflower Recipe Mark Bittman

A quick and simple recipe printed in "The New York Times" (Feb. 6, 2009). "There are many possible variations. For the cauliflower, you can substitute broccoli, rape or even kale or collards. When you're simmering the garlic, you can add anchovies, capers, pine nuts or dried red pepper flakes -- some or all of them. You can toss crumbled cooked sausage meat or chopped shrimp into the garlic mixture along with the bread crumbs. Or you can garnish with chopped parsley, basil or grated Parmesan."

25 min | 15 min prep

SERVES 4

1 head cauliflower, about 1 pound

salt & freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/4 cup olive oil

1 lb penne, fusilli or other cut pasta

1 cup coarse breadcrumbs

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Trim the cauliflower, and divide it into florets. Add about a tablespoon of salt to the water, and boil the cauliflower in it until it is tender but not mushy. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, remove the cauliflower and set it aside. When it is cool enough to handle, chop it roughly into small pieces.

Meanwhile, in a large deep skillet over medium-low heat, saute garlic in olive oil, stirring occasionally, until garlic is golden. Start cooking pasta in same pot and same water as was used for the cauliflower.

When the garlic is ready, add the cauliflower and bread crumbs to skillet, and turn heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally. When pasta is just about done -- it should be two or three minutes short of the way you like it -- drain it, reserving about a cup of cooking liquid.

Add pasta to skillet containing the cauliflower, and toss with a large spoon until they are well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with just enough pasta water to keep the mixture moist but not soupy. When the mixture is hot and the pasta is tender and nicely glazed, serve.

Carrots-Carrots are a root vegetable that originated in Afghanistan. They were purple, red, white, and yellow, but never orange.

Both the Ancient Greeks and Romans cultivated carrots.

The Ancient Greeks called the carrot a philtron, which translates to "love charm." They believed the carrot made both men and women more amorous.

Hippocrates recommended women eat carrot seeds to prevent pregnancy. Some modern studies indicate there may be some validity to this and that eating carrot seeds after intercourse may in fact prevent the egg implantation process and block progesterone synthesis.

Hippocrates created a broth recipe for good health consisting of carrots, celery, root parsley, and leeks.

As a joke, Caligula fed the entire Roman Senate nothing but dishes made of carrots at a banquet in the hope that their animal natures would overtake them and he could watch them "rut like wild beasts."

China, Japan, and India were cultivating carrots by the 13th century.

In the 16th century, Dutch carrot growers invented the orange carrot in honor of the House of Orange, the Dutch Royal Family. They did this by cross breeding pale yellow carrots with red carrots.

The carrot soon caught on in England as both a food and a fashion accessory. Ladies would often use carrot tops to decorate their hats.

The settlers at Jamestown in 1607 introduced carrots to North America.

Thomas Jefferson grew a variety of different carrots in his gardens at Monticello. In 1814 he produced 18 bushels of carrots.

The scene from the movie It Happened One Night in which Clark Gable leans nonchalantly against a fence eating carrots while talking to Claudette Colbert inspired the creators of Bugs Bunny to give him the same nonchalant, carrot-eating demeanor.

China is the world's top carrot producer. The country produced 35 percent of the world's carrots in 2004. Russia is the second top producer and the United States the third.

Carrots ranked as the seventh most valuable crop produced in the United States in 2004.

California is the top fresh carrot producer in the United States, while Washington is the top producer of carrots meant for canning and other processing.

A 2005 poll revealed that carrots are the third most popular vegetable in Britain. (Brussles sprouts are the least popular.)

Carrots are about 87% water.

Orange carrots get their color from beta carotene.

They have more beta carotene than any other vegetable. One cup of carrots has 16,679 IU of beta-carotene.

Eating too many carrots can cause a person's skin to turn yellowish orange, especially on the palms or soles of the feet. This is called carotenemia. It is completely reversible once the consumption of carrots is reduced.

One cup of raw carrots contains about 52 calories.

The longest carrot ever recorded was nearly 17 feet long.

The largest carrot ever recorded weighed 18.985 pounds.

Quick-Glazed Carrots

Makes 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

One of the most useful recipes ever and, sadly, one that is often overlooked. Carrots cooked this way are terrific hot, warm, or at room temperature (use oil instead of butter if you plan to serve them less than hot?which also makes them vegan) and take to a wide variety of herbs and other simple treatments. If you can find real baby carrots-the very thin ones-just trim them quickly (don't even bother to peel them); they'll be super.

Use oil instead of butter and the carrots are vegan. Other vegetables you can use: parsnips or turnips.

1. Combine all the ingredients except the garnish in a saucepan no more than 6 inches across; add about 1/3 cup water (or white wine or stock). Bring to a boil, then cover and adjust the heat so the mixture simmers.

2. Cook, more or less undisturbed, until the carrots are tender and the liquid is pretty much gone, 10 to 20 minutes. Uncover and boil off the remaining liquid, then add the lemon juice if you're using it. Taste and adjust the seasoning; serve hot, or within an hour or two, garnished with the herb if you like.

Quick-Glazed Carrots with Orange and Ginger. Not much more work but sexier and far more impressive: Add 1 tablespoon minced or grated peeled fresh ginger to the initial mix; use freshly squeezed orange juice in place of water. Garnish with a teaspoon or more of grated orange and/or lemon zest.

Balsamic-Glazed Carrots with Garlic. Another variation that doesn't take much but is amazing: Use balsamic vinegar in place of the water and add 5 to 10 whole cloves of peeled garlic along with the carrots. Proceed as above, adding water if the mixture dries out before the carrots are done.

3. Whisk together 1 tablespoon soy sauce and 1 tablespoon miso, then stir this into the carrots just as they're done. (Use sake as the glazing liquid instead of the water if you have it.)

4. Add 1 cup or so peas, snow peas, or snap peas along with the carrots (thawed frozen are fine).

5. Add a tablespoon or so of any mild chile paste (one made with ancho chiles would be ideal).

Carrot Walnut Scones

(makes 8 )1 cup whole wheat flour 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/3 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes 3 tablespoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling 4 teaspoons baking powder 1 egg 1/4 cup milk 1 medium carrot, finely shredded (about 1/2 cup packed) 1/3 cup or so walnut pieces 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional) 1/4 teaspoon saltCombine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or using your fingers until butter pieces are no larger than a pea. Make a well in the center and add the egg and milk. Beat gently with a fork. Add the shredded carrot and continue stirring, scraping down some of the dry ingredients from the sides as you stir. Add the walnuts about halfway into mixing. Stir until all ingredients are incorporated.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pat dough into a ball and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Press down into a round, evenly flat wheel about 1 1/2 inches or so tall. Cut into eighths and sprinkle the wedge-shaped eighths with sugar. Place about an inch apart on a baking sheet and bake for approximately 15 minutes, or until just golden.

Celeriac- (Apium graveolens Rapaceum Group) is also known as 'celery root,' 'turnip-rooted celery' or 'knob celery'. It is a kind of celery, grown as a root vegetable for its large and bulbous hypocotyl rather than for its stem and leaves. The swollen hypocotyl is typically used when it is about 10–12 cm in diameter; about the size of a large potato. Unlike other root vegetables, which store a large amount of starch, celery root is only about 5-6% starch by weight.

Celeriac may be used raw or cooked. It has a tough, furrowed, outer surface which is usually sliced off before use because it is too rough to peel. Celeriac has a celery flavour, and is often used as a flavouring in soups and stews; it can also be used on its own, usually mashed, or used in casseroles, gratins and baked dishes.

Cook celeriac in large saucepan of boiling salted water 15 minutes. Add potato and boil until celeriac and potato are very tender, about 15 minutes longer. Drain. Return to same saucepan; stir over medium-high heat until any excess liquid in pan evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add cream and butter; mash until mixture is almost smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Chard has shiny green ribbed leaves, with stems that range from white to yellow and red depending on the cultivar. It has a slightly bitter taste. Fresh young chard can be used raw in salads. Mature chard leaves and stalks are typically cooked (like in pizzoccheri) or sauteed; their bitterness fades with cooking, leaving a refined flavor which is more delicate than that of cooked spinach.

Swiss Chard is high in vitamins A, K and C with one cup containing 214%,716%, and 53% of the recommended daily value. It is also rich in minerals, dietary fiber and protein.

Simple Swiss Chard

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 bunch Swiss chard, stalks discarded, leaves cut into wide ribbons

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the olive oil on a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and cook until tender and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add the Swiss chard and balsamic vinegar; cook and stir until the chard is wilted and tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Chinese cabbage- Most Oriental brassicas vegetables are called Chinese Cabbage in the West. There are many kinds of Chinese Cabbages, that can be grouped based on size, shape, heading and non-heading. Chinese cabbages are excellent for stir-fry and pickling.

Fast Pot-Stickers

Mark Bittman

3/4 pound ground pork or other meat

1 cup minced cabbage

2 tablespoons minced ginger

1 tablespoon minced garlic

6 scallions, the white and green parts separated, both minced

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons good soy sauce

48 dumpling wrappers

1 egg, lightly beaten in a bowl

4 tablespoons peanut oil or vegetable oil, more or less

1/4 cup rice vinegar or white vinegar

1. Combine meat, cabbage, ginger, garlic, scallion whites and 2 tablespoons soy sauce in a bowl with 1/4 cup water. Lay a wrapper on a clean, dry surface, and using your finger or a brush, spread a bit of egg along half of its circumference. Place a rounded teaspoon of filling in center, fold over and seal by pinching edges together. (Do not overfill.) Place dumplings on a plate; if you want to wait a few hours before cooking, cover plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Or freeze, for up to two weeks.

2. To cook, put about 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet and turn heat to medium-high. A minute later, add dumplings, one at a time; they can touch one another, but should still sit flat in one layer. Cook about 2 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned. Add 1/4 cup water per dozen dumplings to pan, and cover. Lower heat to medium, and let simmer about 3 minutes.

3. To make the dipping sauce, combine remaining soy sauce, green parts of scallions and vinegar.

4. Uncover dumplings, return heat to medium-high and cook another minute or two, until bottoms are dark brown and crisp and water evaporates. (Use more oil if necessary.) Serve hot, with sauce. Or-

1. Rinse the cabbage and pat dry. Remove the leaves and cut diagonally into 1-inch pieces. Finely chop the garlic. Rinse the green onion and cut into 1-inch lengths.

2. Heat the wok and add 2 tablespoons oil. When the oil is hot, add the chile paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, then add the garlic. Stir-fry for a few seconds until fragrant, and then add the cabbage. 3. Stir-fry the cabbage for 1 minute, splashing with the rice wine or dry sherry and stirring in the salt. 4. Add the water. Turn down the heat, cover, and simmer the cabbage for 3 minutes. 5. Turn the heat back to medium-high. Stir in the sugar and green onion. Stir in the soy sauce if desired. 6. Push the cabbage to the sides of the wok. Give the cornstarch and water mixture a quick stir and add it in the middle, stirring quickly to thicken. Cook briefly to mix everything together.

Cilantro-

Delicious Cilantro Pesto recipe

2 cups lightly packed cilantro leaves

2 garlic cloves

2 tbsps toasted pine nuts

1 tspn ground cumin

1 tbspn lemon juice

2/3 cup e.v. olive oil

sea salt

Blend (or use mortar and pestle) everything except oil then add oil in stream. Keeps up to 30 days in fridge covered in oil.

Great with grilled veg, chicken, fish, cheeses etc.

Enjoy, Jennifer

Vegan Enchiladas

Yield 2 to 3 servings

Time 1 hour and 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the sauce:

1/4 cup safflower or other vegetable oil

Half a medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

8 ounces canned organic tomato sauce

sea salt

For the filling and assembly:

1/4 cup safflower or other vegetable oil

1 pound firm tofu, drained and loosely crumbled

Six 7-inch corn tortillas

Half a medium onion, finely diced

Half a red bell pepper, finely diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and d

1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves

1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin, or more to taste

1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, or more to taste

2 tablespoons soy sauce

sea salt

Method

1. For the sauce: In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add onions, garlic, and jalapeño. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add cumin, chili powder, and flour, whisking until browned and thickened. Slowly stir in 3/4 cup of water and tomato sauce, mixing well. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm.

2. For the filling and assembly: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a medium skillet over medium heat, heat oil until shimmering. Add tofu and cook until brown and somewhat crispy, and its liquid has evaporated, stirring from underneath to prevent sticking, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Once tofu looks brown and cooked on all sides, add two-thirds of the onion and half of the red bell pepper. Stir, and add garlic, jalapeño, cilantro, cumin and chili powder; mix well. Add soy sauce, and mix well. Season with salt to taste. Sauté until the onions and red bell pepper begin to soften, 5 to 10 minutes. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water if mixture seems parched, but it should be dry, and the tofu should resemble crisped, browned bits of meat.

4. While the tofu mixture is cooking, wrap the tortillas tightly in aluminum foil, and place them in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove, keeping them wrapped, and set aside.

5. In a shallow 9-by-7-inch casserole (or large enough to hold the enchiladas snugly in one layer), add 1/3 of the sauce to coat the bottom of the casserole. Unwrap the hot tortillas, and place one in the sauce to coat it, then turn it over so that it is coated on both sides. Add one-sixth of the filling, and roll the tortilla tightly. Place it seam side down on the sauce. Repeat to make six filled tortillas. Pour the remaining sauce on top of the tortillas, and sprinkle with remaining uncooked onion and red bell pepper. Bake until sauce is bubbling, about 15 minutes. Serve, if desired, with a green salad.

Collards- Collard greens are vegetables that are members of the cabbage family, but are also close relatives to kale.Collard greens date back to prehistoric times, and are one of the oldest members of the cabbage family. The ancient Greeks grew kale and collards, although they made no distinction between them.

Use lightly steamed, cooled and chopped collard greens as a filling in your sushi vegetable rolls.

Sauté collard greens with tofu, garlic and crushed chili peppers.

Vegetarian Collards

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 lb collard greens, chopped

3 cups vegetable stock

2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped (optional)

salt & freshly ground black pepper

smoked paprika (optional)

apple cider vinegar (optional)

In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil and butter. Saute the onions until slightly softened, about 2 minutes, then add the red pepper flakes and garlic, cook another minute. Add collard greens and cook another minute. Add the vegetable stock, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until greens are tender, about 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a little smoked paprika and cider vinegar to taste if desired. Enjoy!

1 pound kale or collards (8 cups)1/2 cup waterAdd and steam until greens are soft but not mushy. Avoid overcooking. Stir occasionally to coat greens with the spices.

2-3 tablespoons chunky peanut butter1-2 teaspoons hot watercombine and to green at the end of cooking time.

MIXED GREENS SOUTHERN STYLE

Save a ham bone with a little meat clinging to it to make this. The greens can vary, but there should be a good proportion of collards. Southerners would serve in soup plates with hot corn bread to mop up what they call pot liquor.

Boil the ham bone and salt pork in the water for 45 minutes. Wash the greens carefully, remove tough ends of the stalks, and chip up the rest along with the greens. Add to the pot and cook until tender, about 45 minutes. At that point the water should almost have disappeared and the salt pork will have melted away. Remove the ham bone and scrape any bits of meat back into the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Baked Eggs in Ramekins with Collard Greens

Julia Child

Sauteed some chopped collard greens in bacon grease for the base of the ramekins and then sprinkle the fried bacon on top for a crunchy garnish.

Almost every culture has an abiding, elemental hunger for greens, and in the American South, it's common to simmer a variety of them. Hopkins cooks his relatively quickly in a satiny béchamel. The nutty sweetness of the sauce rounds out the natural bitterness of the greens, thus lifting them into the realm of the spectacular. Think of this as a rough-around-the-edges version of creamed spinach, one with real backbone.

Add milk in a stream, whisking, then add shallot, bay leaf, and peppercorns and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Strain béchamel sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids, and cover surface with parchment paper.

Discard stems and center ribs from greens, then coarsely chop leaves.

Cook lardons in a wide 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until golden-brown but not crisp, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain, then pour off fat from pot and wipe clean.

Heat remaining 1/2 stick butter in pot over medium-low heat until browned and fragrant, about 2 minutes, then cook onion, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes.

*Other options: For brown rice, adjust water to 1 1/2 cups, for medium/long grain rice, water measurement is the same. Noodles can be boiled, drained, and given a light splash of soy sauce and lime juice for some background flavor. The tofu is very flavorful, so whatever base you choose, it needs only subtle additions, if any at all.

Combine all the ingredients for the quinoa in a pot that has a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 20 minutes, then turn off heat. Do not open lid. Let steam for 10 minutes before serving.

Prepare the sweet chili lime sauce by whisking all of the ingredients together until the sugar and salt is dissolved.

Drain tofu and cut it into small triangles. I slice the block into 8 rectangles, then each rectangle in half to make two squares per rectangle. I cut each square diagonally to make four triangles per square. Tofu geometry is my favorite kind of math! You can cut the tofu however you please, but a thinner, smaller shape will work best for this method.

Heat a well-seasoned cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium heat. A 10″ skillet will fit all the tofu, so if you’re using a smaller skillet, you’ll need to do this in batches. In order to properly “dry fry” the tofu, you’ll need a pan the tofu won’t stick to even without any oil.

Spread the tofu out in one layer in the pan. Using a spatula, press the tofu. The liquid will squeeze out and boil away, and the tofu will begin to turn golden. The more water that evaporates, the sturdier the tofu will be, so be gentle at first to prevent the tofu from breaking up. After several minutes, flip the tofu over and press the other side. After about 10 minutes of dry frying, you can turn off the heat and set the tofu aside for finishing later, or proceed to adding the sauce. (You might want to set the tofu aside before finishing in order to to prepare the collards, below.)

To finish the tofu, bring the pan back up to temperature if it’s not already very hot. You want to heat the pan and the tofu over high heat, making sure the tofu is hot all the way through. Add the sauce and stir to coat the tofu. Turn off the heat. The sauce will bubble up, reduce, and form a glaze. If it isn’t bubbling up and forming a glaze, turn the heat back on high and cook until the glaze is.. well.. glaze-y.

Stack the collard leaves on top of each other, 3-4 at a time, and roll. Slice the roll in 3/4 inch segments. Run your knife through the chopped collards to make smaller pieces, then add them to a wok with the water, lime juice and salt. Cover with any lid that will contain the collards and cook over high heat for 3-4 minutes until the collards are steamed and tender.

For plating, arrange the collards atop of a bed of quinoa. Add tofu over the top, drizzling any leftover sauce over the dish. Garnish with lime slices and mint leaves. Serve.

Cucumber- Like lettuce, cucumbers are almost always better raw than cooked. But unlike most lettuces, they are flavorful. As with most salads, you can top this one with almost any sautéed or grilled meat, poultry or fish.

Serving tip: Put a few slices of cucumber in your water pitcher for a very refreshing drink!

Cucumber Soup

Chef Dan Barber of Blue Hill at Stone Barns uses the farm's cucumber crop to prepare this gorgeous, fresh-tasting soup. The addition of avocado lends the soup a creamy touch. It's a terrific way to start a summertime dinner party.

11 large cucumbers (about 8 pounds), divided

1/4 cup honey, divided

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 ripe avocado, peeled and seeded

2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Cracked black pepper (optional)

Dill sprigs (optional)

Cut 5 cucumbers into 3-inch chunks. Place half of cucumber chunks and 2 tablespoons honey in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureed cucumber mixture through a cheesecloth-lined sieve into a bowl. Repeat procedure with the remaining chunks. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.

Working with pureed cucumber mixture in sieve, press mixture lightly with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to squeeze out juice; discard solids.

Place half of marinated cucumber slices, avocado, and 1 3/4 cups cucumber juice in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour cucumber mixture into a bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining cucumber slices and 1 3/4 cups cucumber juice; reserve any remaining juice for another use. Stir in chopped dill, salt, and pepper. Place 1 1/2 cups soup into each of 6 bowls. Garnish with cracked black pepper and dill sprigs, if desired.

Ginger Cucumber Salad with Scallops

Time 1 1/2 hours at most, largely unattended

Mark Bittman

Long, thin European (often called English) cucumber varieties and the mid-length, spiny, curved Asian types, both of which are crisp, nearly seedless, thin skinned and flavorful, are easier to work with. The standard American varieties, often fat and seed-filled, usually need peeling and seeding before you can do a thing with them.

1 pound sea scallops (cut in half through their equators if very large) or shrimp, peeled

1 medium to large onion, sliced

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric, optional

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Method

1. With Asian or English cucumbers (or small garden cucumbers), slice thinly, preferably with a mandoline. With thick cucumbers, peel, halve lengthwise, and scoop out seeds before slicing.

2. Mix vinegar, ginger, sugar and salt, and toss with cucumbers. Let stand for 30 to 60 minutes. (Refrigerate if marinating for more than an hour in warm weather.)

3. Just before serving, drain excess liquid. Put 2 tablespoons oil in a skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Wait a minute, then add scallops or shrimp. Sear for about 2 minutes to a side, then remove to a plate. Turn heat to medium, add remaining oil, onions and turmeric, if you are using it. Cook until onion softens, about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, toast sesame seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until browned and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir onions into cucumbers, top with scallops or shrimp, garnish with sesame seeds, and serve.

1. While corn is still in skillet, but with heat off, stir in scallions and let sit for a minute, stirring occasionally. Remove to a bowl.

2. Wipe skillet with a paper towel, add oil and turn heat to high. When oil is almost smoking, add tomatoes. Cook, undisturbed, until they are nicely browned and slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Turn, sprinkle with sugar and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Combine tomatoes with corn in bowl and drizzle with any pan juices. Sprinkle with soy sauce and sesame oil. Cool to room temperature, then taste and adjust seasonings with soy sauce, sesame oil, salt or pepper as needed. Garnish if you like, and serve.